Underlay for shoe toes



G. GIGILL UNDERLAY FOR SHOE TOES Filed July 25, 1940 Patented Dec. 23,1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNDERLAY FOR SHOE TOES Gardner G. Gill,Reading, Mass.

Application July 25, 1940, Serial No. 347,455

Claims.

This invention relates to underlays of the character customarily appliedbeneath the perforated toe portions of shoe uppers, particularly inshoes having stiffening materials or boxes at the toe portions thereof.The particular purpose of the invention is to provide an improvedunderlay formed of sheet material which is simple and inexpensive tomanufacture, tough, strong, and form-retaining in application and use,and especially resistant to solvents or other chemicals associated withthe toe stiffening material, which tend to penetrate the underlay anddiscolor the outer surface thereof which is exposed through theperforations of the shoe leather.

As is well understood, these underlays are customarily coated on theirouter surface with a varnish or lacquer having the same color and shadeas the exposed surface of the leather at the toe of the shoe, so thatthe shoe will present substantially the same appearance at theperforations as well as at the unperforated areas of the toe. It is thusessential that the colored surface of the underlay, which is visiblethrough the perforations, retain its original appearance, free fromdiscoloration resulting from the outward penetration of solvents orchemicals, and without attracting and retaining dirt or dust which maylodge in the perforated openings of the leather. It is highly desirable,furthermore, that the underlay be made of a flexible, inexpensivematerial which is sufficiently tough and stiff to undergo normal lastingoperations without wrinkling or bulging, and sufiiciently thin to avoidthe formation of ridges which would be noticeable on the surface of theleather.

My improved underlay exhibits all of these attributes and obviates theobjectionable features of the underlays hereto-fore used, and at thesame time reduces the cost of the material and simplifies itsapplication to the shoe. A recommended embodiment of my invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the toe portion of a shoe formed with acharacteristic perforated medallion of the type which the improvedmaterial is intended to underlay;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a roll of the improved underlay materialprior to the application of the colored surface coating;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the coated underlay sheet,with a portion of the colored coating broken away;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l with the upper leather at the toebroken away to indicate the usual location of the underlay; and

Fig. 5 is a side view of the toe of the shoe, partly in longitudinalsection, showing the underlay in position between the upper leather andthe toe stiffener or box.

Although the improved underlay is adapted for use with box toes in whichthe toe stiffening material consists of leather, thermoplastic strips orstrips made of or impregnated with pyroxylin, it possesses specialadvantages when associated with the pyroxylin toe stiffeners such asthose commonly known by the trade name Celastic which are normallysoftened with a solvent such as acetone prior to assembly in the shoeupper. The solvent used to soften such toe stiffeners, or the vaporstherefrom, will penetrate the ordinary coated fabric underlay heretoforeused, and cause discoloration of its outer coated surface, thus marringthe appearance of those areas of the surface which are visible throughthe perforated openings H of the upper leather I2 at the toe of theshoe. The asphaltic ingredients of the steamed thermoplastic boxes ortoe stiifeners also have a tendency to penetrate the underlay materialand discolor its outer coated surface with the same undesirable result.

Hence, my improved underlay is made of a flexible sheet material whichis either inherently impervious to the solvents or asphaltic ingredientsabove mentioned, or is coated on its under surface with a material whichprevents the solvents or asphaltic ingredients from penetrating theunderlay itself. Various Waxed, parchmentized, or other treated papers,including cellulose films sold under the trade name Cellophane, areimpervious to such chemicals and may be satisfactorily employed ifsufliciently thick and tough to withstand shoe lasting processes Withoutwrinkling or becoming otherwise distorted; but I have found thatordinary kraft paper I3, of sixty pound grade or equivalent weight,coated on one side with glue E4 or other substances which are imperviousto said chemicals, provides a very satisfactory underlay after itsopposite side is coated with lacquer or varnish 15 of the desired color.This material is readily available at low cost, for it is supplied inrolls (Fig. 2) for use as an adhesive binder for wrapped parcels; theglue coating I4 is impervious to the aforesaid chemicals and also causesthe inner side of underlay to adhere to the toe stiffener, regardless ofthe particular material of which the toe box 16 is made; and, when theouter surface of the paper strip I3 is coated with a pyroxylin lacquer15, the color and texture harmonize extremely Well with that of theouter surface of the upper leather of the shoe.

The underlay ll, thus prepared, is cut to the desired size and placedbetween the upper leather l2 and the toe stiffener or box I6, prior tolasting, in accordance with usual manufacturing methods; the lacqueredsurface l5 of the underlay being lightly treated with a solvent or witha suitable adhesive, so that it will stick to the inner or'fiesh side ofthe leather l2 while the toe stiffener is being applied between theleather vamp and the shoe lining It. The shoe is then lasted, soled, andfinished in the usual manner.

As indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, the underlay need not and preferably doesnot extend to the lasted margin of the upper; for it need only extendover the perforated area of the toe, and it is held in position betweenthe vamp l2 and the toe box IE which are united together around theperiphery of the underlay by pressure exerted during the lastingprocess. Although the use of an underlay coated with glue [4 assists inbonding the parts together, the use of an adhesive coating on theunderside of the paper sheet I3 is not essential to the attainment ofall of the purposes of this invention; for any suitable imperviouscoating may be used in place of glue, and an impervious sheet may besatisfactorily employed without an undercoating, as previouslyexplained.

It is evident that a shoe provided with an underlay of the characterherein described will present a substantially uniform appearance at theperforated as well as the unperforated areas of its toe portion, andwill also be more comfortable to the wearer; for the use of underlaymaterial which will not wrinkle or buckle during the lasting process notonly obviates unsightly bulges in the perforations, but also preventsthe formation of interior ridges or humps which would cause discomfortto the foot. The relative stiffness or firmness of the improvedunderlay, as compared with the limp wrinkleable fabric heretoforeemployed, is thus an important feature of this invention; and the addedsafeguard against discoloration, furnishes a shoe underlay satisfyingall the requirements of style and appearance as well as of comfort andease and economy of manufacture.

Although an undercoated kraft paper of the specified weight has beenrecommended as the preferred underlay material, it will be understoodthat other flexible but relatively firm and hard-surfaced sheetmaterials, of a size, shape and weight which is suitable for theparticular conditions, may be satisfactorily employed without departingfrom the essence of this invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a shoe having a perforated leather upper and a toe stiffener atthe toe portion thereof, an underlay disposed between the leather andthe toe stiffener, the underlay consisting of an im perforate strip offlexible sheet material having a coating on its outer surface colored tocorrespond with the colored outer surface of the leather, said sheetmaterial being impervious to chemicals combined with or applied to thetoe stiffener, so that the colored surface of the underlay will notbecome discolored by penetration of such chemicals or their vapors.

2. In a shoe having a perforated leather upper and a toe stiffener atthe toe portion thereof, an underlay disposed between the leather andthe toe stiffener, the underlay having a colored outer surface andconsisting of imperforate paper-like sheet material inherentlyimpervious to chemicals combined with or applied to the toe stiffener,so that the colored surface of the underlay will not become discoloredby penetration of such chemicals or their vapors.

3. In a shoe having a perforated leather upper and a toe stiffener atthe toe portion thereof, an underlay disposed between the leather andthe toe stiffener, said underlay consisting of an imperforate strip ofpaper-like sheet material colored on its outer side and coated on itsinner side with a substance impervious to chemicals combined with orapplied to the toe stiffener, so that the colored surface of theunderlay will not become discolored by penetration of such chemicals ortheir vapors.

4. In a shoe having a perforated leather upper and a toe stiffener atthe toe portion thereof, an underlay disposed between the leather andthe toe stiffener, said underlay consisting of an imperforate piece ofkraft paper colored on its outer side and coated on its inner side witha glue impervious to chemicals combined with or applied to the toestiffener, so that the colored surface of the underlay will not becomediscolored by penetration of such chemicals or their I vapors.

5. In a shoe having a perforated leather upper and a toe stiffener atthe toe portion thereof, an underlay disposed between the leather andthe toe stiffener, said underlay consisting of an imperforate strip ofrelatively firm and stiff paper having a colored coating on its outerside and an adhesive coating on its inner side, the periphery of theunderlay being spaced from the lasted margin of the upper.

' GARDNER G. GILL.

